banes

noun

plural of bane
1
as in curses
a source of harm or misfortune regarding the new laborsaving machinery as a bane, the 19th-century Luddites went about destroying it in protest

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2
as in poisons
a substance that by chemical action can kill or injure a living thing a plant that is believed to be the bane of the wolf

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of banes The actresses play the delightful mother-daughter duo Angela and Ainsley — who are oftentimes the banes of Tommy's (Billy Bob Thornton) existence — in the Taylor Sheridan series. — Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 28 Dec. 2025 But along with ready cash, the laissez-faire approach brought the banes of corruption, criminal infiltration, and rampant pollution. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Oct. 2025 The aforementioned around-town mileage, for example, was one of the biggest banes of the Jeep owner's existence. — New Atlas, 27 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for banes
  1. curses
  2. poisons
  3. threats
  4. diseases
  5. toxics
Noun
  • In other cases Hoodoo was used to counter the threat of curses, as in the practice of suspending bottles from a tree to trap any malevolent spirits or witches traveling in spirit form.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The cumulative impression of Alice that the book leaves is of someone moving serenely through life, meeting fond blessings and awful curses both with the same calm equanimity.
    — Ian Penman, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of curses
Noun
  • Wildlife officials had found that many of these poisons worked their way through the food chain, sickening and killing owls, raptors, coyotes and mountain lions.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Russia accused of trying to undermine Ukraine's allies Russia has long been accused of targeting its enemies abroad, including by using rare poisons.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of poisons
Noun
  • Players have revealed their concerns about harassment and death threats reaching a traumatizing level.
    — Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Still, the threats have increased for the islands of Niihau and Kauai because the storm's forecast track has shifted steadily eastward, the National Hurricane Center said.
    — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of threats
Noun
  • The New York Times recently wrote about a study that revealed that one in four NFL players develop brain diseases like CTE.
    — Mirin Fader, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Hormonal changes from perimenopause and menopause touch numerous parts of a woman’s health and raise the risk of certain diseases like osteoporosis, diabetes and heart disease.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of diseases
Noun
  • In late May, about 50,000 people in Orange County were evacuated because, at a Garden Grove site operated by GKN Aerospace, tanks holding a volatile hazardous chemical called methyl methacrylate were at risk of exploding or leaking toxics.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
  • Munoz is an independent toxicologist working in collaboration with MAHA against pesticides and toxics.
    — Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 10 July 2026
Definition of toxics

Browse Nearby Words

baneful
banes
bang
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Cite this Entry

“Banes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/banes. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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